A half mile away at FunTown Amusement Pier, 90% of the rides are gone, too, as are some 8 in 10 of the pier's boards.

Nearly each tide brings pieces of rides, props and boardwalk ashore.

"We do feel like we're moving along," said Toby Wolf, Casino Pier spokeswoman. "Obviously, right after the storm when we first saw everything, it was very overwhelming. It was trying to figure out where to start."

Officials at Casino Pier, which opened in 1960, think they can have a portion of their pier open for Memorial Day weekend. Officials at FunTown Pier, which opened in 1980, anticipate reopening next year.

The amusement parks help make Seaside Heights' 2-mile, 16-block boardwalk a magnet to millions of tourists.

"They are like the box stores of a mall," said John Camera, borough administrator. "Everybody gets affected by what they do and what the borough does. They have their own draw."

Seaside Heights, known as the backdrop for Snookie Polizzi and friends on MTV's Jersey Shore, counts heavily on tourism not only for local businesses but also for beach and parking revenue for government coffers. An estimated 5% to 10% of taxable property was destroyed in the hurricane.

&amp;amp;amp;lt;!--iframe--&amp;amp;amp;gt;

Fewer rides this summer will affect tourism, but Camera doesn't expect significant change. Visitors still will have beach and boardwalk access and may be interested in seeing the storm-ravaged shore as it is rebuilt, he said.

"I used to come here. It was nice," said Ed Thompson of Ware, N.J., who came to look at the damage with his girlfriend, Patty Oyola of Bayville, N.J. "There was always something going on. It was nice to come to and it's a shame to see the whole neighborhood the way it is."

Both were glad to hear that the piers will rebuild.

"I don't see it happening" quickly for FunTown, she said. "It's so bad."

Officials for both piers still are trying to calculate the cost of damage. Wolf said they know only that it will be in the tens of millions of dollars.

While reopening FunTown Pier is definite, when and with what isn't clear, Majors said.

"It's not going to be a fast thing, and we're not in a hurry," he said. This summer will be consumed with demolition and cleanup.

The damage left Casino Pier workers with about half of their pier, the lower deck, to work with in their rebuilding efforts. Home to mostly games of chance and kiddie rides, it will be re-imagined for a re-opening this year, Wolf said.

After this summer, workers will start driving pilings to restore the pier's upper deck.

Casino Pier officials also plan to have Breakwater Beach Waterpark and arcade ready for Memorial Day weekend. However further assessment of the waterpark and the arcade building is needed.

"As hard as it is now, we get to be part of the rebuilding," she said.

In New Jersey, superstorm Sandy destroyed several blocks of Atlantic City's world-famous boardwalk and wrecked several other boardwalks up and down the coast. A Seaside Heights roller coaster was left partially submerged in the ocean. (Oct. 31)
AP

Casino Pier, which opened in 1960, sits at the heart of Seaside Heights. It includes rides and games, as well as an arcade and carousel. Before Sandy, the pier had 36 rides. Officials hope to open part of the pier for Memorial Day weekend.

FunTown Amusement Pier, which opened in 1980, sits at the southern end of Seaside Heights and continues into Seaside Park. Before Sandy, it had 33 rides. Officials plan a summer 2014 re-opening.